Chisinau, 19 March 2024 (TDI): Moldovan President Maia Sandu announced that Moldova will hold a referendum later this year on joining the European Union (EU).
She called on civil leaders to mobilize support for the country’s membership in the European Union bloc.
Maia Sandu suggested that current EU member states are more open than ever to new members joining the bloc.
“Member states of the European Union are more open than ever, we have the necessary political will for this step, and our citizens want to be part of the EU,” she said.
She further added that the referendum would keep Moldova’s pro-Europe drive intact even after changes in political leadership.
“This must be reconfirmed and written in the Constitution, so that whoever is in government, the voice of the people for this direction of development should be mandatory for the political class” she said.
Moldova, an eastern European state with around 2.6 million population applied for the EU membership in 2022. It received a draft framework for accession negotiations in March, along with neighboring Ukraine.
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“For the majority of Moldovan citizens, the EU is a project of peace and prosperity, while Russia is constantly trying to destabilize the situation in Moldova,” President Maia said. “We expect Russia’s attacks and provocations to continue,” she added.
In addition, she urged citizens not to be “afraid and to support the pro-European referendum, as the EU is the only option that can ensure peace.”
Maia Sandu emphasized that she has requested the Moldovan parliament to initiate a constitutional plebiscite. This plebiscite is scheduled to take place on the same day as the presidential election.
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